Someone paid me a very nice compliment the other day – they said our family grieves well!  I’ve been thinking about it – you know, there’s only really three ways to grieve… one; to cry a lot, two; to act out – you know, kick the cat (so to speak), slam the door, drink excessively, etc. and/or three; do nothing – push those feelings down (not smart)!  (There are certainly variations and degrees of each of the three ways.)

Let’s take the first; to cry a lot…  The point here is to get it out most appropriately.  Included in this category is jounaling – you know, keep a diary, blog, talk therapy or counseling, etc.  Personally, I believe this method is the best!  The second; to act out; may do more harm than good – be really careful if this is your natural way to mourn.  And third; do nothing – act like nothing ever happened – come on!  Something major happened!!!!!!!  Deal with it now or deal with it later, but come on… deal your hand – play the hand you’ve got to the very best of your ability.

There are so many ways to creatively and affectively get those feelings out appropriately.  There’s art therapy, music therapy, dance therapy, exercise, writing, talking, crying, laughing (closely related to crying), etc.  The really important ‘take away’ here is to express yourself and do so appropriately.

This day isn’t just special to moms – it’s special to everyone who’s ever had a mom, and I suppose especially to all moms – even if they’re without a living child.  It seems like a very sad day to many yet it’s still special.  Isn’t it funny how we can be sad and experience special feelings at the same time.  Yesterday was my birthday – I know several who have birthdays right around this time – several are actually today.  Some are still among us and some have gone ahead.  Still the specialness outweighs the sadness if we focus on that part of it.  I have found that usually, sadness outweighs happiness, but I think it’s all in how we focus – easier said than done of course. 

My wife was an internationally board certified lactation consultant – her gift was helping new babies and new moms!  (Witih me being a funeral director, we used to say we help people from cradle to grave – funny, huh?  But true.)  Anyway… with new moms and new babies, she was the best!  I’m especially thankful to her, or rahter for her, this Mother’s Day. 

My best to all you moms out there!  And if some of you out there are sad today, then for just a moment, please smile inside - knowing that someone is thankful to you, or for you, and above all else, God – He is grateful that you took especially good care of one of His little ones.

I just hate it when people say ‘it’s not the end of the world’ – don’t you?!?!  It’s the end of the world as I know it, so please… don’t you dare say that.

i just was sitting here, thinking to myself, how tired I feel – I mean like… flat out exhausted.  And it made me think of exhaust – as in pollution.  Too much is illegal, right?  So… is it true that too much exhaustion, or feeling exhausted too often, polutes our minds and souls?  Are we only allowed to feel exhaustion in moderation?  If so, then how do we get energy?  ‘They say’ that energy breeds energy – yeah, but how do you start?  You know… I think the best way, for me, is to LOL – you know what that means?  To laugh out loud – get it?  To LOL.  Sometimes I just think, to myself, “You know, I’m just getting used”!  And I can actually laugh about it – at myself!  Sometimes It kind of pulls me out (just enough), and then I go again – I just keep on-a-rollin along – rolling with the punches – with the punch lines sometimes…  

Doesn’t it make you mad when your computer doesn’t work?!?!  Oh – that makes me mad!  That’s kinda how it is when my brain isn’t working!  ‘Course fortunately, I can often click it onto automatic!  There’s so much I can do – lots of good stuff – without really even having to think about it – aren’t you that way too?  I guess it’s a good thing, huh?  (I just took a short break from typing to switch the laundry from the washer to the dryer, and guess what – I didn’t really even have to think about it!)  So much of life, or ’surviving’ is just routine – stuff we can do automatically without having to think about it – ‘course, my whites may come out pink, but… oh well, nobody’ll know (unless I’m in a wreck – my mom always told me to wear clean whites in case I’m in a wreck – your mom ever tell you that)!  But I digress…  Living, or ’surviving’ is hard work at times, and when our brain doesn’t work right… well, now that’s some tough stuff!  You know how they say ’stuff happens’… yes, it does.  So what do we do when we’re just doing the best we can to live, or survive, and it just seems too tough?  Well… I don’t know…  I guess it’s different for everyone, and it’s also different based upon the circumstances.  What are some of your tricks – what (sometimes) works for you?  Let’s help each other out here… someone come forward – speak up – you know you can do so anonymously…   I really wanna get a community-wide dialogue going here – someone help me out – step up to the plate!